System and method for processing formatted text documents in a database

Abstract

A system and method for automatically determining a plurality of pieces of different information about a textual document from the text of the textual document are provided in which one or more particular characteristics of the text of the textual document are identified to generate a file containing the text of the textual document with the particular characteristics marked up within the text. In addition, any negative treatment of other textual documents from the text of the textual document is determined to generate negative treatment information, a data record is produced indicating a depth of treatment for each other textual documents cited in the text of the textual document, the source of a quotation in the text of the textual document is verified to generate verified quotation information, any subject matter text that is applicable to the text of the textual document is determined to generate subject matter headings associated with the text of the textual document, and a data record is generated containing the identified characteristics of the textual document, the negative treatment of other textual documents cited in the textual document, the depth of treatment of other textual documents cited in the textual document, the verified quotation information, and the subject matter text associated with the textual document so that all of the information is accessible.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A graphical user interface stored on a machine-readable medium for facilitating human interaction with a database of legal documents, the interface comprising:
 a first interface screen including: 
 a first data window for displaying one or more portions of a first legal document containing one or more citations to other legal documents; and
 a first control interface adjacent the data window, the first control interface having first user-selectable means for indicating before selection whether the first legal document includes at least one portion having compromised legal authority and for invoking after selection display of a second interface screen, wherein the second interface screen comprises:
 a second data window for displaying one or more citations to other legal documents that reference the first legal document or other legal documents that the first legal document is otherwise related to; and 
 a second control interface adjacent the second data window, the second control interface having second user-selectable means for affecting the number or type of citations displayed in the second data window; and 
 third user-selectable means for invoking display of a third interface screen, wherein the third interface screen comprises:
 a third data window for displaying in a first mode one or more headnotes associated with the first legal document and for displaying in a second mode one or more subject-matter classifications associated with the first legal document; and 
 
 a third control interface adjacent the third data window the third control interface including:
 fourth user-selectable means for switching the third data window between the first and second modes; 
 fifth user-selectable means for selecting one or more headnotes; and 
 sixth user-selectable means for selecting one or more legal subject-matter classifications; and 
 seventh user-selectable means for re-invoking display of the second control screen, with the second display window responsive to the fifth or sixth user-selectable means to limit display of citations based on the selected headnotes or the selected subject-matter classifications. 
 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The graphical user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the second control interface further includes a visual indication of the number of citations in the second data window. 
     
     
       3. The graphical user interface of  claim 1 , wherein the other documents that the first document is otherwise related to include documents for other judicial decisions relating to the same case as that for the first legal document. 
     
     
       4. The graphical user interface of  claim 1 , wherein each displayed citation to other legal documents that reference the first legal document is displayed in association with a corresponding treatment label indicating how the legal document identified by the displayed citation treats the first document. 
     
     
       5. The graphical user interface of  claim 1 , wherein at least one displayed citation is displayed in association with a quotation indicator that indicates the legal document identified by the one displayed citation quotes text from the first legal document. 
     
     
       6. The graphical user interface of  claim 1 , wherein at least one displayed citation is displayed in association with a depth-of-treatment indicator that indicates how significant the first legal document is to the legal document identified by the one displayed citation.